1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to information storage and retrieval systems and more particularly to such a system particularly adapted for the monitoring and control of energy transmission sites for worker safety.
2. Related Art
The current systems of protecting field workers from radio frequency (“RF”) exposure at radio transmission sites are inadequate and often in violation of existing state and federal regulations. There are currently enormous cellular networks consisting of thousands of base station antennas which are required to enable cell phone use. These wireless transmission sites come with an environmental hazard as they generate RF radiation. RF radiation (“RFR”) is tasteless, odorless and invisible, increasing the need for a comprehensive RF safety compliance program. The damaging health effects from excessive RF exposures are well documented but may not be apparent until long after the exposures occurred. On a daily basis, unaware and unprotected construction and maintenance workers, as well as the industry's own RF-trained workforce, risk sustaining some form of injury from RF radiation exposure at conventional and stealth sites. The present system of signs to warn workers is inaccurate and ambiguous. In many instances warning signs are missing or poorly placed, and have text that is ambiguous or difficult to interpret. The swift expansion of the wireless industry and the number of transmission sites has increased dramatically over the last decade. Many sites contain multiple antennas owned by different cellular phone companies, wireless data carriers, wireless network companies and other providers of wireless services “wireless telecommunication companies”. For example some of these companies such as Sprint Nextel, Verizon and AT&T or other wireless telecommunication companies may all have an antenna at one site. Sites that are used by more than one wireless company may have greater dangers due to the overlap of energy dispersion patterns. This overlapping dispersion condition is not taken into account by any single company, primarily due to poor mutual information availability.
Wireless telecommunication companies provide equipment and training to their own workforce but do not provide the same to other workers such as roofers, painters or heating, ventilation and air-conditioning craftsmen who work near their transmitters. Personal protection monitors have severe limitations and can give a false sense of security. Wireless telecommunication companies have a poor policy regarding the hazards of RF exposure with site lessors. Little or no information is available to educate lessor's third party workers on safety procedures. Stealth sites can present the most potential hazards to unsuspecting third party workers. As a result, third party workers are at the greatest risk of injury from RF exposure. There is no comprehensive worker safety program in place. Litigation regarding RF exposure is growing and is expected to grow exponentially because of the lack of significant worker safety standards and applications.